BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE HORSES?

Big Turnover in the NYC Carriage Horse trade: There
is a turnover of approximately 71 carriage horses in the NYC trade
every year. Since 2005, 529 horses have been removed from
the Department of Health rolls. Some of them found homes, others
were rescued but we believe many went on to the auctions where they
were made available to kill buyers for purchase. There has been
little accountability on the part of the owners.

This
is a new article on One Green Planet about this issue – with
accompanying reports to substantiate these claims.

NOTE: this
information is copyrighted by the Coalition for NYC Animals, Inc.
If you would like to use it, we request that you e-mail us at
coalition@banhdc.org for permission.

The Department of Health - already tried to change the law:
The most important flaw in the system is that the law does not
require owners to reveal the names of buyers when sold outside NYC as
most are. When a change in the law was suggested by the
Department of Health, there was pressure and the suggestions were
rescinded. Click here
for the the DoH’s intention to amend the existing regulations.
You will note many other suggestions that were ignored
also.

Most
people who support a ban on horse-drawn carriages are concerned about
what will happen to the horses if there is a ban. They think the
horses will go to slaughter.

While it is fair
question to an extent, it is often asked by people who do
not have any understanding of how the NYC carriage horse trade
operates -- people who try to challenge us as if we had not thought of
this important issue.

We would not have
campaigned for a ban of the NYC carriage trade if we thought all the
horses would go to slaughter.

This is the proposed legislation, which we drafted, outlining horse disposition when the trade shuts down -- specifically S 17-329 Disposition of licensed horse. (CAPS is new text; strike through is deleted text.) This
does not happen now. We also tried to get this bill passed
in the City Council as a stand alone (Intro 670 in 2011) but it was
killed by Speaker Christine Quinn.

Because of the loophole in the law targeting horses sold outside NYC,
more than 71 horses do not have their license renewed each year.
So any concern about horses going to slaughter if there is a ban should
be redirected to thepresent status quo. What happens to these horses now?

4.
Many rescues and individuals have contacted us saying that when the ban
happens, they would like to take in some NYC carriage horses. NY
Class and the ASPCA also have a list. Because no one knows
when a ban will happen, out of respect for their privacy -- and because
we do not "telegraph our punches" we will not publish this list.

DOCUMENTATION

NOTE: this
information is copyrighted by the Coalition for NYC Animals, Inc.
If you would like to use it, we request that you e-mail us at
coalition@banhdc.org for permission.